The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-09-03
correspondence.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT.
Letter From Rev. W. c. Brooks-The En-
couraging Reports of The Universalist-
Denominational and Missionary Work, etc.
SORRENTO, FLA, Aug. IA, 1887.

To the Editor of The Untuersalist.
DEAR BROTHER: intelligence re
ceived through our denoninational pa
per has given occasion, under recent
dates, for feeling as if resisting the spirit
to longer keep my thoughts from paper.
AS continual
Health and Home Seeker
have been in this "land of flowers for
the past five years, midway between gulf
and ocean, far away from denominations
al activities, self abnegeted Micawber,
waiting and watching for something to
turn up" And as I find distance literal
ly SENDS enchantment to the view"
things done in the remotest parts of our
Zion indicative of its progress, I take
as occasion of great rejoicing. Hence
The UNIvERsALIsT which pays me week
ly visits, is a sort of stereoscopic me-
dia through which can see passing
events in correspondence with the prog
ressive moral and religious thought
of the age. Every department of it
seems to me as under the white heat of
thoughts that breathe and words that
urn" The contributions are generally
both interesting and instructive, be.
cause up with the times. The trend of
the religious thought of the age is in all
the religious departments; and all tend
to show that the old theology "must CO.,
and the new find acceptance in it's
stead. Such paper holds the light OF
religious truth broadly athwart the mar
rows, shoals and fogs of the old time
isms and scbisms, and must fulfill
grand mission.
Buchtel College Commencement,
viewed in the ensemble Of its many strik-
ing features, as recently reported, was
of thrilling interest and importance.
Distance seemed to give way as I read
and for the time being, felt as il one
among you, and full OF that self sustaining
enthusiasm born only of great occasions.
The occasion was indeed great-great in
giving for noble purpose, and no less
so in appreciation of the splendid gift
which made the occasion what it was,
and which must be estimated not SO
much by present as by future results.
In other words, the greatness of the &C.
casion was all impact in the personal
presence of JOHN r. BUoHTEL, for
man is always greater than his purpose
or his deeds, however great and good
they may be. His princely gift added
to many others, his telling speech, the
suppressed emotions of joy and graft
tude, and then the tears and the shouts
to the echo in honor OF him whose name
the college is to bear on to succeeding
generations, all go to show that they are
the effects of cause which is greater
than all; and that in this instance, the
cause was John r. Buchtel, whose name
must henceforth take rank among the
benefactors of his race. Dr. Cones Bac-
calaureate Sermon seemed to me mas
terpiece OF it's kind, and all the litersry
and social phases Of that memorable COCA
sion, from first to last seemed in perfect
keeping with the just pride and best
wishes Of all concerned.
"Across the Continent"
The telegram from Rev. e. L. Conger,
Pasadena, Gal, under date of June
ID, reached you by flashes from the
wires, and from thence your humble SER
want received it only little short Of
lightning speed on the Atlantic coast.
Its speed was in keeping with the grand
missionary achievements it announced
from Pasadena and other points on the
Pacific coast; and to my mind, it had the
God. speed smack of encouragement in it
that we all need; for it is given to but
few to meet with the favorable condi-
tions OF such successful missionary work
which are too frequently balanced off
against many "weights of hindrance,"
that time and the grace of God can alone
remove. So to "prove all things and hold
fast to that which is good" we must
Learn to labor and to wait" for the
blessing; not perhaps as we wish it, but
as God more wisely purposes to bestow
it. That Pacific telegram was suggestive
to me as an old missionary pathfinder"
often through many tangled conditions
that sometimes bring up, as of old, to the
slight with beasts at Ephesus," and to
ultimate success. 1t seems to me that our
Denominational Work
must be largely of missionary char
acter, and extend indefinitely into the
future, changing only in methods to
suit the spirit of the times. Truth and
love are the Central forces of our faith;
and being essentially aggressive in their
nature, are destined to overcome all things
they antagonizs. take it as a foregone
conclusion that we are in duty bound TO
push our forces to the fore front Of every
opportunity Of planting the standard of
our faith. To do this most effectively at the
present day, l take the sugges ton of
Br. Conger as pertinent, namely: that
the missionary should have permission to
say to the friends in new places, "The
General Convention authorizes me to
come to you with encouragement and
help and pledges so much if you will do